Colin Hall Simpson

Colin Hall Simpson
Colonel C.H. Simpson as Chief Signal Officer of I Corps, May 1940
Born	(1894-04-13)13 April 1894 St Kilda, Victoria
Died	23 August 1964(1964-08-23) (aged 70) Heidelberg, Victoria
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1914–1946
Rank	Major General
Service number	VX79
Commands held	6th Infantry Brigade 39th Infantry Battalion 3rd Division Signals Company
Battles/wars	First World War Battle of Messines Battle of Passchendaele Second World War Battle of Greece Syria–Lebanon campaign Battle of Java New Guinea campaign Siegfried Line campaign Aitape–Wewak campaign Bougainville campaign
Awards	Commander of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross Volunteer Decoration Mentioned in Despatches (2)

First World War

Second World War

Major General Colin Hall Simpson, CBE, MC, VD (13 April 1894 – 23 August 1964) was an Australian Army officer who rose to the rank of major general as Signal Officer in Chief during the Second World War. He was one of the founders of Amcal, the largest retail pharmacy chain in Australia.

Simpson joined the First Australian Imperial Force in 1916, and served on the Western Front in the Battle of Messines and Battle of Passchendaele. He was twice wounded, and was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross. After the war he worked as a pharmacist, and rose to the rank of colonel in the Militia. He transferred to the Australian Corps of Signals on its formation in 1925.

During the Second World War he participated in the campaigns in Greece and Syria as Chief Signals Officer of the I Corps. He returned to Australia in 1942 to become the Australian Army's Signal Officer in Chief. He also became the first Australian Corps of Signals officer to reach the rank of major general.

Colin Hall Simpson was born in St Kilda, Victoria, on 13 April 1894, the son of Colin Simpson, a plumber, and his wife Elizabeth Fulton Simpson, née Jordan. He was educated at St Kilda Primary School, and, from 1911, at Caulfield Grammar School. While at Caulfield Grammar, Simpson joined the Australian Army Cadets, rising to the rank of sergeant. After leaving school he became an apprentice pharmacist. He served with the 49th (Prahran) Battalion in which he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 1 March 1914. He became its assistant adjutant on 12 April 1915 and was promoted to lieutenant on 1 July 1915.